Retiree Pries Alligator's Mouth Open To Rescue Pup—What A Fortunate Dog

Nov 24, 2020 by apost team

In this incredibly nerve-wracking story from November 2020, a tiny puppy found itself in the mouth of an alligator in Estero, Florida. Seconds away from being dinner, the lucky pup was rescued by its owner, who impressively pulled the gator out of the water and pried its mouth open with his bare hands.

This rescue was definitely one for the books. 

Nature can be a wild and scary place, especially for humans or animals that are still infants, as they are yet to learn how to protect themselves or find out about all the things that could happen in the wide world out there. That's why it's so important for parents to look after their young and protect them until they're grown up enough to go out on their own. It's a parent's worst nightmare to imagine something happening to their newborn—even in the animal kingdom—but unfortunately, that nightmare came true for one little puppy in Florida and his human parent.

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The dramatic encounter took place in Estero, Florida in November 2020. Richard Wilbanks, 74, was out walking his little three-month-old puppy, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Gunner at his backyard pond when the incident took place. An alligator apparently appeared out of nowhere and snatched Gunner with his mouth and quickly pulled him into the water. Without missing a beat, Wilbanks jumped straight into the water and picked up the gator by the jaw, which was still holding Gunner inside. Wilbanks carried the gator to the edge of the pond while continuously wrestling with his jaw, somehow managing to pry it open just enough so that Gunner could hop out and onto the grass. Unsurprisingly, Gunner ran off as fast as he could once he was safe on land. Wilbanks recounted the incredible story to CNN:

"We were just out walking by the pond and it came out of the water like a missile. I never thought an alligator could be that fast. It was so quick."

Adrenaline or instinct must have kicked in, as Wilbanks said:

"I just automatically jumped into the water."

He further explained that holding the alligator wasn't that difficult but prying open its jaws was "extremely hard," leaving his hands "chewed up" after the entire ordeal. Afterward, he went to get a tetanus shot from the doctor just to be safe. Meanwhile, Gunner escaped with a puncture wound in his belly but otherwise was fine after a visit to the veterinary clinic.

Out of sheer luck, the entire incident was captured on surveillance cameras. The reason for the cameras is due to a collaboration between the Florida Wildlife Federation and the fSTOP Foundation. Meredith Budd, a representative of the Florida Wildlife Federation told WINK, as reported by CNN:

"We live on a shared landscape. We don't just want to tolerate wildlife, but, rather, we want to thrive with wildlife on a shared landscape."

Despite the encounter, Wilbanks feels the same way and doesn't want the gator to be removed from the pond or put down. He stated in his interview with CNN:

"They're part of nature and part of our lives."

Considering his pride and joy was nearly taken from him by a gator, it's a very understanding perspective from Wilbanks, but we agree it's the best way forward for both animals and mankind to co-exist in the same spaces.

The incident hasn't deterred him from taking Gunner on walks either, however, he has begun taking a few extra precautions. These days he keeps the pup on a leash and at least 10 feet away from the pond's edge. The dog is obviously very dear to Wilbanks, as most people's pets are to them. He even shared a touching comment about how much pets mean to us, saying:

"Our pets, they're just like family to us."

Organizations that serve to protect wild habitats are incredibly important, not only for the conservation of such areas and the animals that live in them but to ensure human interaction in such spaces is safe as well. 

Have you ever experienced something like this that crosses the usual human-wildlife barrier? How do you think you'd react if you were in the dog owner's shoes? Let us know in the comments, then be sure to pass this on to those you know!